Metal Vision
by Viburnum
Summary: AU Escaflowne Xover.On Planet Earth two brothers, one swept by internal hatred and the other keen to protect, become enemies to get The Guardian Of Wings, one for love, the other for demise.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I just have crafted the story but the original animes belong to their respective owners.

**Author's Note:** This is an Alternate Universe fic – though it does still have its consistencies with the original Full Metal Alchemist and Vision of Escaflowne, and Escaflowne The Movie – the story is still modified. Also two characters from another anime will make an appearance.

**Also there will definitely be spoilers** **concerning the animes. This fic will have mature themes and situations involved in angst and desperation. Well that was a warning.**

* * *

Metal Vision

* * *

Prologue

* * *

' _Nothing_ _ever changes;  
Nothing will never change,  
I'll grow older and older_

_This skin of mine will become as earth_

_The blood of mine transformed to a watery waste;_

_Still, I can't change  
Change is not for me  
I'll die incomplete_

_In the silhouette of loneliness: emotions shunned_.'

* * *

He thinks about dreams way too often. It is the habitual exertion he allows himself – he cannot be released from it; only imprisoned. That was what it was like, imprisonment, only drearier than the cells of the dungeons and more horrific than the bounds. Mental incarceration is a hell of a kind of rare stimulation. That was what its called – the form in which the hell existed – he knew because the hell was within. As yesterday becomes tomorrow he still feels he is repeating all his yesterdays. The dreams were of yesterday and tomorrow – then, he thought, what was today?

' Hey Elric – got you your breakfast! Come on man, you'll be late for school!' _it _is his _foster father_: that is what _it _was called and he happily agreed to it – actually _it_ was a _him_ of course yet for some reason he had a usual irritation about him. He concluded temporarily that it maybe the foster father's persistence, ' Hey Elric c'mon or else I'll give your share to Alfonse!'

' Ok! Coming!' he screamed at the threat and then compiled it with '…asshole'

' Elric I heard that!' the foster father grew angry and then it was a different supplication.

' Uh…Daniel I can't eat Edward's share I mean I think I'll puke if I do…' it was said with timidity and Edward giggled as he was sure the audible protest would ensure him his breakfast despite the threats of it never being tasted.

' I know that you numbskull! But Edward…! Alright you happy numbskull! I bet that little cur knows about this now! That you can't stomach-up his meal! He'll take his merry little time to take a shower and then come down for breakfast! Oh God save me! I knew that stupid boy was a wretch! If he's late for school again it'll be your fault this time Alfonse!' The foster father, who is named Daniel, yells his irritations and then concludes Alfonse's catalyst of making Edward tardy.

' But…Daniel…that is not fair…!' Alfonse was not too keen in being the blame of a _criminal act_. Edward merrily laughed as he could hear the conversations of volatility for the bathroom door was ajar.

Edward knew how Alfonse was – tardiness was a criminal act to Alfonse Heiderich.

' Well I'm your father so it is fair.' The man called Daniel was ignoring Alfonse's angers and fumes and thus made a ultimatum of the whole situation. It was truly somewhat careless yet he spoke it solemnly with instruction.

' _Step father_…' it was a whisper – well no a certain type of howl – from Alfonse and Edward now finished with his cleansing knew the emotional effects of the statement and sighed in lost fervor for the time. Daniel would not be exuberant.

' Well glad you remembered Alfonse – Elric are you coming down or not!' he had all his melancholy now and he was trying his most attempts to not be angered or dislocated from nonchalance: Though it was done with difficulty.

' Yeah – just a sec!' Edward was no longer tardy knowing the mentality of Daniel at present. Yet he did his _diagnostics_:

Edward recalled that he had a short frame and that, he believed, was still following him and he cared for it. He was short for a seventeen year old unlike his _brother _Alfonse who was two inches taller than him – though they were the same age he wasn't pleased by Alfonse's physical advancement – a touchy subject indeed. He still had faired well than many in the muscular department. He had signs of six-pacs and was great in maintaining himself. However, Alfonse was scared of sports. He was golden haired, golden –eyed handsome man to many though he thought that he had no fantastical component in his looks. His blonde hair was longer now, he believes, because he had a recollection of it whence he was fifteen – the braid never met his waist prior to the age he was now. Well then there was his arm and leg – _right arm_ and _left leg_ **specifically.** It was bionic. Or looking as something bionic, it was because of this that Edward wore gloves to school. His foster father said that he might have encountered an accident whilst he was younger.

That is why possibly he suffers from a sense of amnesia.

He could not recall to who or where his origins were. Yet it was a sense of comedy that he knew his name Edward Elric and he just knew that his origins were elsewhere, **literally:** he felt he was from another world. A world where a lost art called alchemy was welcomed. A world in which he remembered he had a real brother – a brother who looked too much like Alfonse Heiderich.

This is all he knew of himself. This is all that his foster family believed or didn't belief. Daniel Mustang became skeptical more than the normal limitations. Yet he cared for Edward, cared enough to enroll him as Edward Mustang. So no one will question. No one besides Alfonse and he knew of the boy Edward Elric.

The boy with the slight pseudonym came to eat breakfast. He looked apologetically at Daniel and was forgiven without chastisement. Knowing his mannerisms was Edward's duty so he remained his in silence. Yet he gave a scolding stare to Alfonse who was quiet and looking with certain regret. Edward knew this was his duty as well. Alfonse was to be treated as a true brother.

* * *

If she could fade away she was to be in her happiest. Yet she couldn't fade away so she was never elated. This was the curse of living in a solitary world and thus she repulsively controlled herself. There was nausea, both mentally and physically. She couldn't escape it. She wanted to fade…but…to her it was difficult and the subject was so differentiated – she just lost the clues to what she was meant to be executing. She was angered and incarcerated. Incarcerated in life and thus she angrily accepted life. Death was her desired destination. Her destiny to be desired – then, she mused, what am I an undead form?

She thought more and more. Running made her feel liberated. That was why she ran. In the track team: It was her physical talent. She was the title of "best". No one could appease the same hunger to run as she did. Yet the fuel was poisoned. Before it was for dreams she ran now it was for the envisioned quality to achieve death. She yearned to just fade away. So she slept more exceedingly – in dreams one could fade away.

She saw him looking at her. The first time he looked at her was when she was in the roof. He came to her.

' Excuse me – you're missing class…so I –'

' Go away…'

' What?'

'…can't you see, I'm dreaming?'

' But your history professor told me to call you…'

' Listen kid…I –'

' I'm not a kid…'

' Really how old are you, fifteen?'

' Seventeen!'

' Oh well…I'm nineteen – so you are a kid to me…go away tell the teacher you didn't find me…'

' Hey what's this…'

'…'

'…Dear Yukari…I'm going to die…bye-bye from Hitomi your-'

**SLAP.**

' Who the hell said you can read my personal letter you – stupid kid!' she was furious.

' Edward Elric.'

' What?'

' My name is Edward Elric – you must be Hitomi Kanzaki?'

' Go away…'

' Are you going to die? Or are you planning to perform suicide?'

' I said GO AWAY!'

' Fine. But – is it worth it to fade away like that?'

' Very much.'

' No – its not.'

' What do you know?'

' I just…' Edward smiles, ' Know…how you feel…'

It was then. There – he realized after all that time – he loved her.

* * *

' _No_ _you won't die incomplete;_

_Everything changes;_

_Everything will always change:_

_That is why you skin will become earth._

_Your blood a watery waste,_

_As you say;_

_But there will be change_

_For the better_

_It'll happen_

_It always does_.'

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well that was the prologue. Tell me what you think. Hitomi's character is like her movie counterpart. Also, the year is not 1912 in our world it is present time. Oh well, please review!

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	2. Possibly Blinded

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**The usual Disclaimer**

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Metal Vision

* * *

Chapter I

* * *

**_P_**ossibl**_y b_**linde**_d_**

* * *

"…_so when, when will we meet, my friend?_" 

- **Raj Ramayya**, **_Strangers_**

* * *

Textbooks don't lie or do they? Well if he hadn't scratched his head enough he was sure one may think he is housing lice. He didn't know how to write a good study on the character he was analyzing – it will do him good to _actually finish_ the book…but…well, he was a bit envious of Alfonse _actually_ being ahead and nearly finishing Volume three of the book while he was still thinking of the controversies in Volume One – it was starting to irritate him and didn't know cures for such vexations. All he did was murmur and mutter expertly as he was to be a great scientist discovering a substance of awe. In actuality the substance was confusion and he was the only one (as he was in a solitary space in the library) to be in completely awe of it. He was feeling innately puzzled in a labyrinthine maze. With a moan he feels his stiffened back – this was due to be next week's Monday schedule…he couldn't complete the book completely by then… 

' Please God – help me! Resurrect Jane Austen and let her tell me about her character Emma in that book **_Emma_**!' Edward found it hopeless to some extent. He knew the book as a romantic comedy but he really couldn't understand Emma so much. Well, he sort of conceived but he looked at his draft note where he recently added new lines:

" _Emma_ _is the main protagonist of the novel **Emma**. She is very perceptive to the changes that are binding themselves to her household – the inevitable absence of Miss Taylor, her governess, due to marriage with a Mr. Weston: is a charged change to her lifestyle. Emma is twenty-one but she has a great reign of independence considering the fact that she had given a powerful slate of dominance ever since she was twelve and therefore can take care of herself. Even her once Miss Taylor was always under her desires and so the house ran mostly in the way she fashioned – she seemed to be caretaker of both her house and father and Miss Taylor was only there as a shadow due to Emma having all authority. This just shows what a silly woman Miss Taylor was to pander to a bitchy spoiled brat who grew up to be a harlot and tries to screw up people whenever she can. Hell her dad must eat weed and smoke its best quality to be passed out most of the time in La-La land and is a psycho about people's health like that bitch of a backstabbing aunt in that _Lemony Snicket's _book. Emma is a bitch, I feel bitched out – ok I think I should stop writing…_"

Edward looked slightly confused. He then giggled to himself and completely scratched out the obscene material…only he wasn't the **only** one to see it. He felt someone behind him looking at his untidy messy scratching of dark liquid. It felt like a girl. She seemed to radiate a questioning stare. Then she turned away to continue her own way. Edward got a glance of her as she was exiting his atmosphere.

She was the girl with the rarity in a form of unexpected formulas – he envisioned her in that way. Her boyish-length mysterious hair of splendor – the living logs of a sleeping forest engulfed by the very essence that purifies beauty. Her eyes shone as its leaves with dewy baths drowning all reflections and then creating contrasts of glamour. Her waist and all physical aspects were, not to sound as the aged forger, yet in truth: perfect.

' Ed! C'mon we got pure mathematics now! – **Hey! What did you do to your literature assignment! It does seem like the dog ate it and digested it and then vomited it out!**' the impatient cry got his nerves out of the fixation.

' Huh – what – Alfonse quiet down this is the library – the librarian is definitely going to sue you for ruining her domain…' he softly with a cry protested for the librarian's fondness was slightly limited, concerning him, though Heiderich was a favorite.

' Mr. Mustang! Quiet down or else I'll report you! The librarian entered the scenario with a taste of venomous debate in her head – she clearly wanted Edward to suffer.

' Miss. Hawkeye it wasn't me!' it was funny whenever this woman screamed at Edward because she felt to be familiar.

' Well Mr. Heiderich if it was you – quiet down! Please leave the library if you do have other classes.' That was a strict order and it was meant to be followed.

' C'mon Ed! We are going!' he was being dragged by the impatience of Alfonse for to be tardy was a criminal act to him. Edward sighed and allowed the hands of impatience tend to the necessity of achieving "the goody-two-shoes" behavior. He was quite in hypnosis to yell in reluctance.

That was the first glance he ever had of an angel

* * *

Unfortunately, the heartless hunger of her heart seemed to never relax. She drew a bath and _ordered_ it hot. She submerged in it – water was fluid passion and more fulfilling than a passionate lover – well at least to her fancies. The steam of the trust, the ripples of whispers, the swallowing of replication to kisses and…sex; oh it was good as sleep only sleep was more of an secret admirer – because she had close her eyes and allow him to come with his secretive notes and flowers but water never needed that option specifically. She may close or open as a flowers petal but the rain of relaxation and comfort will never divert his undivided attentions. The caresses of the water and the need to be faded always in a multiplied urge to be satiated: her need to exhale to the bustling world above was exempted. It was past the fifteenth minute and the secret admirer suddenly appeared – funny, she didn't remember being too fatigued to be sleepy – yet then it was motioned, a not so soft truth. The water – was it…could it be…was it ever to be – Van? 

Her bubbles were most expressed. She got to the world behind the liquid door of glassy perfection. Immediately, most crucially, her lungs were harassed by the drift of air – soon it realized its savior. She coughed repeatedly and felt the water being rejected by her lungs as her soul rejected the memory of Van. That is when she understands it and soon is frightened and perversely excited in combination.

She was drowning.

Death had visited her – then why the mercy?

She was lost in her haphazard world of uncut and unkempt temptations. She yearned to die – refuge was in its obscure-type path. In this life she was the reincarnation of demise.

Without Van everything to her seemed lost…

* * *

' The juniors wanted to see you run – you aren't going to disappoint them are you Hitomi?' her stealthy, vulpine-like voice was an effortless tease. Hitomi usually found comfort in it. 

Not in the presence of today. The pleasure is living in yesterday.

'…a junior already saw me' Hitomi spoke enigma – untainted and with a bell of reverie.

' How can you properly sprint up on the roof? Well at least it's the field you should be out – there is more than one junior you know.' She shifted between being naughtily taunting and basically friendly. In a ultimatum she may have thought alternatively and presumed the "sprinting" done by Hitomi was actually a dream: she has found Hitomi always behaving drowsy and sleeping in class. She assumed a person frequently sleeping was to have daydreams with sighs of believing they were real.

' No.' the reply was a fixation to be dwelled in, ' I do not pretend to like it but…well you see Yukari – my legs hurt. I don't like running in the track team anymore.'

' Well run for the juniors then…' the girl called Yukari seemed to think that plausibly coherent and good, ' C'mon, they know how good you are. Hitomi don't be silly – don't disappoint them. Maybe I'll run along with you – Whatcha say?'

' No.'

' C'mon –'

' I am silly. I am disappointing – it's understandable.'

' Hitomi – you ran for that junior. As you are saying…?'

' Don't worry it wasn't a dream. I didn't exactly run for him – it just automatically happened…'

' Hitomi are you ok – you're not really silly. You never disappoint either.'

' There can be isolated cases Yukari…'

' Hitomi – what do you mean _automatically_? – Hitomi who was this junior…'

' It was a seventeen year old boy.'

' Well do you like him…?'

' Yes – that's why I slapped him.'

' Hitomi don't be sarcastic! Did you really slap him!'

' Yes.'

' Why Hitomi-chan – he might complain…what's wrong Hitomi-chan? Why did you do it? It isn't like you to – did he do something?

' He read my letter.'

' Which one – ah this - Dear Yukari…I'm going to die…bye-bye from Hitomi your best friend. Love you al-always…Hitomi?'

' Yeah?'

' W-What are you- you going to do…?'

' See death hopefully.'

' Then call me – maybe I'll join you…'

' That's not funny.'

' Dying alone isn't funny either!'

' Don't worry – even if I wanted to die – I'm cursed, I can't – he seems to pull me out…'

' Hitomi…?'

' I hate him Yukari – I hate him for thinking of me as an angel…'

' Who Hitomi – that junior – I'm confused…'

' I don't want the wings he gave me…'

' Hitomi…I don't understand…'

' I should have broken them off…I hate you…'

' Hitomi.'

' Sorry Yukari-chan but…'

' Hitomi…?'

' I can't let you join me…'

' Hitomi…?'

' I rather die alone. I deserve that.'

* * *

_We've found a kind of paradise in a flowers bloom._  
_We've seen the end of a mystic land so close it meets the parting sun.  
_ _We've shared the thoughts that two could share, we feel the truth, magic that we send..._

Eyes seem to look at each other. The difficult thing is magnetism – it is the drawing element. Only he is nervous and she annoyed.

' I told your history teacher I didn't find you.' He was very nervous and though he seldom showed coyness – with her it was a different matter. She was an angel wasn't she? Well to him she was.

' Thank you.' The brief reply stated the situation sans interest. Who cared of complaint or refuge? Not her – she had decided to quit the track team, quit her emotions, quit her memories, quit her life – yes she was possibly blinded – but her inner sense approved. She glanced at him – she had walked on past him but now, ' Sorry…' it was residual emotion. She hated it.

' Huh…' he realized that she was really addressing him.

' Well sorry…' residual emotion, hard to penetrate – to stop – Hitomi didn't like it – but she knew it was right, ' I – I really am… it was wrong to slap you…very thoughtless. Don't mind me; I have all the reasons to be a lunatic.' She was walking away.

' Why…because you want death…it isn't simply because of that fake reason. You are very sad – that's why you want to fade – I think it's all wrong.' Edward was inevitably determined. He never thought he saw an angel with torn wings.

' You haven't known me long kid so don't say compassionate words you yourself don't understand.' Hitomi was slightly cold but she smiled. It was her hypocrisy. She wished she were able to sew his lips or bend his voice. Yes, she was most intimate with violence precisely at the time.

Violent feelings from Hitomi radiated secretly – Edward felt it because he was possibly blinded – yes, he was amnesia was a serious issue – yet – ' C'mon if you think you'll find paradise in death. In fading away – you are mistaken.'

' How…' it was very demanding though so cool with softness. A rose thorn prickling: asking him for his blood.

' Because… I have faded away – I don't think I remember who I am Miss Hitomi! It is frustrating! But I guess I can't die yet! I need to see if I can find paradise here…' Edward was baring naked flesh. It is difficult to be nude even to a beautiful stranger.

' Go away then – if you can fade once more. You'll be born once more – that's such a gift.' Hitomi suggestively pointed. She wished to flee yet now it was postponed. He seemed jaded as he said he faded. What performance can this be?

' But then I will born again: faded. I won't be complete – I believe that's a curse, right?' he was so solemnly quiet in a slice of philosophical experience. He deeply knew he understood.

_Searching for something new  
__Isle of Gold in flowers bloom_

' Curse…' it was a wicked taunt with the smile – she was hating this battle where the eminency was hers. Why was he to quarrel? ' It is a curse to be stuck in the middle of a "life" that is useless.'

' Is it really useless.' He was inquiring with a tentative urge to placate her nerves of destruction.

' Yes.' She can find no cure to her desire.

_We've heard a kind of paradise beyond the desert's dunes.  
_ _We've walked the earth in solitude, so cold we need the warmth of sun.  
_ _We've lived the life that we could live; we see the truth magic that begins..._

Edward smiled, he was intoxicated with her but…he loathed seeing demise mate with her. Her mate should be happiness, ' Why not try. There is something out there right? For someone, For you and me…I will no longer be faded and you no longer need to fade…'

' Is it that simple…' she scrutinized his context. A fairytale for the child

' If you wish it to be simple – if you want it so much – it'll be simple.' He assured her. Of the statement he saw a certain sense of truth…not so **his** exactly. A weird phenomenon truly, couldn't comprehend it.

' It's never simple kid. You haven't grown up yet.' She wasn't really mocking him – the words were advisable if he chose them in that manner.

' Two years shy of nineteen – is that really a big separation…?' Edward notified. A lip swinging to the cry of attemptable designs: an angel's wings must be repaired.

_Searching for something new  
_ _Isle of Gold in flowers bloom_

' Two tides can crash against a rock and can be divided.' Hitomi begun with her metaphorical assessment, ' Two years can be Two tides – experience can be that rock that divides.'

' Well then what will the sea be?' he asked, wishing upon God that intellect can be to his standards.

' The Afterlife I suppose…yes I guess that it should be the afterlife…' she was in a requiem of judgment and he discovered it to be quite melancholic, ' The waves that crash will return to the sea.'

Edward was gratified that his request was permitted by God, ' Then we'll all end up in the same place right…?' it was a victories motion to smile, ' We won't really be that different right. Two waves right? Not so different…'

_We've found a kind of paradise, below a sky so new._  
_We've weaved a web of mystery so wide, we need the light of day._  
_We've worn the cloak of secret lives, we've seen the truth, magic that we send..._

' You're forgetting heaven and hell.' It was most robotically said, ' We might not be so entwined to receive the same treatment…'

' But I had already faded – does that mean I need hell…?' he was positively sure that the sentence wasn't really **his**.

' No,' she was quite candid despite the ice in the edges, ' You may have had your heaven but maybe you forgot…' she smile so sorrowfully, ' …I know I had forgotten. Where is heaven – paradise just slips away and becomes lost…'

_Searching for something new  
_ _Isle of Gold in flowers bloom_

' Well then if I lost my heaven…' Edward was determined – no blood could have seen such as a rise as his he presumed, ' I will reclaim my paradise. I just won't fade again. It's not great to fade away – because that is true nothingness.'

' Edward.' She recollected his name; it was her softness.

' Yes.' He was obediently focused. It was expectancy: His and then –

' Shutup.'

_So when will it end?_  
_So when, when will we meet, my friend?_

* * *

Author's Note: " Well I hope you liked the chapter. Tell me what you think. Also the song in italics is a song called **_Strangers_**: written and sang by **Raj Ramayya**. It is a song in the brilliantly composed anime series of **Keiko Nobumoto** called **_Wolf's Rain_**. Some of the sentences spoken by Hitomi and Edward are synchronized to fit with the theme of the song and so are reminiscent to elements in **_Wolf's Rain_**."

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End file.
